Evaporator for refrigerating machines



April 20, 1937. R. F. ROIDER EVAPARATOH FOR REFRIGERATING MACHINES Filed July 1, 1936 Fig. l.

Inventor: Ra'lph F Raider; y l-ls Attorney.

Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EVAPORATOB FOR REFRIGERATING MACHINES Ralph F. Roider, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 1, 1936, Serial h... 88,358

10 Claims. (Cl. 62-426) My invention relates to evaporators for reby the operation of the motor driven compressor frigerating machines. within the casing l2 and is discharged into the It is an object of my invention to provide an condenser passage H, where it is cooled by the improved evaporator of the flooded type for renatural draft circulation of air over the condenser frigerating machines which shall have one porl3 and is liquefied. The liquefied refrigerant flows 5 tion operating at low temperature for receiving into a receiver or float valve chamber 18 through ice trays and the like, and another portion operata connection i 9. When a predetermined quantity ing at a higher temperature for cooling the food of liquid refrigerant has collected in the float compartment of a refrigerator cabinet with minichamber 18, the float therein rises and the remum dehydration of food therein. frigerant flows through a connection 20 into the 10 Another object of my invention is to provide an evaporator IS. The liquid refrigerant in the improved evaporator of the flooded type having evaporator is vaporized by the absorption of heat a quick freezing portion for freezing water, desfrom the air within the cabinet and from food Serts and the like, and a higher pe ure Poror other articles therein and the vaporized retion for cooling the air circulated through the frigerant collects in acylindrical header 2|. The 15 d pa m nt f a r ri erator cabinet in vapor is withdrawn from the header above the order to minimize the reduction of the humidity level of liquid refrigerant therein through a conof the air in the food compartment. nection 22 and returned to the compressor in Another object of my invention is to provide a the casing l2.

2o flooded evaporator o efr e at mach nes The evaporator 15 is constructed of sheets of having n impr ved rr n men f r provi in metal 23 and 24, having indentations or corruga- Oireulation of q d refrigerant about a freeztions therein and being secured together about e compartment d for maintaining arelatively their edges and between their indentations by undisturbed body of liquid refrigerant in another welding, brazing or in any other suitable manner.

25 p t f t vap rat f cooling a d o The header 2| is also formed by indentations in 25 partm nt f a r f rat r n the sheets 23 and 24. The evaporator comprises Fu he obj ts a d vantages of my inve an upper freezing portion or chamber having contion w ll be m app t s e following d duits 25 communicating with the header 2| for s p i p ds, a the features of novelty circulating liquid refrigerant therearound, and a which characterize my invention will be Pointed second portion depending from the first portion 30 out with particularity in the claims annexed to and comprising plurality of upright refrigerand fo ap of this Specification ant conduits 26. The conduits 25 and 26 com- For a better und a i of my invention, municate with each other through a manifold 21 reference may be h to the accompanying extending across the side of the freezing chaming, in which Fig. 1 shows a household refrigeratb in the lower portion thereof. A tube 28 is 35' g machine Provided with an evaporator arranged within the manifold 21 and communibodyine my i v e 2 is sectional view cates with the connection 20, so that liquid reon the line of Showing a fragmentary frigerant admitted to the evaporator passes P View of the evaporator and freezing 001119914? from the connection 20 into the tube 28 and thence to meet; and 3 is an enlarged Perspective View into the conduits 25 through a plurality of outof a portion of the evaporator showing the arlet rifices 9 arranged in alignment with the Tahgemeht for Pmducihg circulation of centers of the conduits 25. These orifices inject frigerant about the freezing chamber thereof. the f i rant upwardly into conduits 25, and

Referring I10W t0 the drawing in 1, I have thereby produce a rapid circulation of liquid re- Shown a household refrigerating machine frigerant around the freezing chamber through 45 prising a cabinet I0 having a thermally insulated the conduits 25 The header 2| is maintained top On which is mounted a refrigerating about half full of liquid refrigerant so as to flood chine. The refrigerating machine includes a 685- the evaporator and the conduas mg having a and a compressor and 26 filled with liquid refrigerant. The liquid ranged therein, a condenser having a refrige!" refrigerant in the conduits 25 is relatively undis- 50 ant passa 14 d an evaporator mounted turbed, since the lower ends of these conduits are low the top H an arranged partly Within a rclosed and no circulating path is provided for mally insulated freezing compartment l6 and the refrigerant. It 15, therefore, apparent that partly within the food compartment ll of the the rate of absorption of heat from the air surcabinet Ill. Gaseous refrigerant is compressed rounding the evaporator, or from articles placed thereon, will be greater adjacent the conduits 25 in which there is a rapid circulation of the refrigerant than adjacent to the conduits 26 in which the refrigerant is more or less undisturbed. Furthermore, since the liquid refrigerant in the conduits 26 is maintained relatively undisturbed it may become superheated, thereby tending to maintain the temperature of the depending portion of the evaporator higher than that surrounding the freezing chamber. '-1he inlet tube 28 may also be arranged to restrict the opening between the conduits 25 and 26 to increase the resistance of flow of refrigerant therebetween and permit a somewhat greater pressure to. be

' maintained in the conduits 26. By selecting the dimensions and proportions of the several parts of the evaporator, temperature differences within a range of 2 F. to 20 F. may be obtained between the depending portion and the freezing chamber. The insulated compartment I6 is arranged to surround the portion of the evaporator containing the conduits 2'5 and thereby provide a compartment for operation at low temperatures for the freezing of water, desserts and the like. The conduits 26 of the evaporator extend outside the compartment, l6 into the main food compartment l I of the cabinet H] which is cooled by the natural circulation of air over the conduits 26. Since the air in the food compartment is not circulated continuously over the freezing portion of the evaporator there is less condensation of moisture from the air and less moisture is therefore removed from the food in the cabinet. An evaporator constructed as described thus makes possible the operation of a domestic refrigerator with higher humidity of the cabinet air and yet provides adequate ice freezing capacity. Some circulation of air through the compartment may be desirable and, for this reason, I have provided elongated openings 30 and 31 at the top and bottom, respectively, of the compartment IB through which air may circulate between the compartments l6 and I1, and I have also provided pivotally mounted and adjustable dampers 32 and 33 for controlling the openings 30 and 3|, respectively, so that the amount of air circulating through the openings may be varied.

During the operation of the flooded evaporator shown, a rapid circulation of liquid refrigerant is provided around the freezing chamber through the conduits 25 by operation of the injectors 29 and any articles such as trays of water placed adjacent the conduits 25 will be cooled rapidly. The relatively undisturbed body of liquid refrigerant in the conduits 26 is available for absorbing heat from the air within the food compartment .l 1, and any refrigerant vaporized in the conduits 26 will rise to the manifold 21 and thence to conduits 25'and the header 2|, thereby assisting the injectors 29 in producing a circulation of refrigerant through the conduits 25. The liquid refrigerant with entrained vaporized refrigerant will flow from the manifold 21 to the header 2!, where the vaporized refrigerant will rise above the level of liquid refrigerant in the header. The rate of absorption of heat through the conduits 26 will be relatively low since no continuous circulation of liquid refrigerant therein may be maintained. It "is, therefore, apparent that I have provided a flooded evaporator having a portion available for freezing purposes and a second portion which may be employed to cool a food compartment of a refrigerator, without requiring an undesirable reduction of the temperature of the air in the food compartment due to the operation of the freezing portion of the evaporator.

While I have shown and described my invention in connection with a household refrigerating machine, it will be understood that it is applicable to other types of refrigerating machines, and I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modiflcations thereof which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A flooded evaporator for refrigerating machines comprising means including a plurality of conduits for forming a freezing chamber, means for injecting refrigerant upwardly into a plurality of said conduits on one side of said chamber to produce a circulation of refrigerant around said chamber through said conduits, means depending from said conduits for maintaining a relatively undisturbed body of liquid refrigerant in communication with the lower portion of said conduits, and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said evaporator. V

2. A flooded evaporator for refrigerating machines comprising means including a plurality of conduits for forming a freezing chamber, a header arranged above said conduits and communicating therewith, means for injecting refrigerant upwardly into a plurality of said conduits on one side of said chamber to produce a circulation of refrigerant around said chamber through said conduits, means including a plurality of conduits depending from said first-mentioned conduits for providing a portion of said evaporator filled with relatively undisturbed liquid refrigerant, and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said header.

3. A flooded evaporator for refrigerating machines comprising means including a plurality of conduits for forming a freezing chamber, a manifold communicating with the lower portions of said conduits near one side thereof, means arranged in said manifold for injecting refrigerant upwardly into a plurality of said conduits to produce a circulation of refrigerant around said chamber through said conduits, means depending from said conduits for maintaining a relatively undisturbed body of liquid refrigerant in comiii munication with the lower portion of said conduits and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said header.

4. A flooded evaporator for refrigerating machines comprising means including a plurality of onduits for forming a freezing chamber, a manifold communicating with the lower portions of said conduits near one side thereof, means arranged in said manifold for injecting refrigerant upwardly into a plurality of said conduits to produce a circulation of refrigerant around said chamber through said conduits, means including a plurality of conduits depending from said manifold and communicating therewith for maintaining a quantity of relatively undisturbed liquid refrigerant in communication with said first-mentioned conduits, and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said header.

5. A flooded evaporator for refrigerating machines comprising means including a plurality of conduits for forming a freezing chamber, a body of heat insulating material surrounding said chamber, a header arranged above said conduits and communicating therewith, means for injecting refrigerant upwardly into a plurality of said "rality of conduits depending from said first-mentioned conduits for providing a portion of said evaporator filled with relatively undisturbed liquid refrigerant, said depending conduits extending outside of said body of insulating material, and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said header.

6. In a refrigerating machine including a thermally insulated cabinet, a thermally insulated compartment arranged within said cabinet, a flooded evaporator comprising means including a plurality of conduits for forming a freezing chamber and arranged in said compartment, means including ventilating openings in said com partment for circulating air from said compartment into said cabinet, means including a plurality of conduits depending from said firstmentioned conduits and extending outside said compartment for providing a portion of said evaporator filled with relatively undisturbed liquid refrigerant, and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said header.

7. A flooded evaporator for refrigerating machines comprising means including a plurality of conduits for forming a freezing chamber, means for injecting refrigerant into a plurality of said conduits to produce a circulation of refrigerant around said chamber through said conduits, means depending from said conduits for maintaining a relatively undisturbed body of chines comprising means including a plurality 4c of conduits for forming a freezing chamber, a

header arranged above said conduits and communicating therewith, means for injecting refrigerant into a plurality of said conduits to produce a circulation of refrigerant around said chamber through said conduits, means including a plurality of conduits depending from said firstmentioned conduits for providing a portion of said evaporator filled with relatively undisturbed liquid refrigerant, and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said header.

9. A flooded evaporator for refrigerating ma- :chines comprising means including a plurality of refrigerant in communication with the lower por-,

tion of said conduits, and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said header.

10. A flooded evaporator for refrigerating machines comprising means including a plurality of conduits for forming a freezing chamber, a body of heat insulating material surrounding said chamber, a header arranged above said conduits and communicating therewith, means for injecting refrigerant into a plurality of said conduits to produce a circulation of refrigerant around said chamber through said conduits, means including a plurality of conduits depending from said first-mentioned conduits for providing a portion of said evaporator filled with relatively undisturbed liquid refrigerant, said depending conduits extending outside of said body of insulating material, and means for withdrawing gaseous refrigerant from said header.

RALPH F. ROIDER. 

